


To Help the Man Behind the Gun

by empressearwig



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery
Genre: Gen, World War I
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-04-15 00:59:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4587012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empressearwig/pseuds/empressearwig
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Faith asks Gilbert for help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Help the Man Behind the Gun

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DesertVixen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertVixen/gifts).



It was with a determined sense of purpose that Faith Meredith strode up the snowy Ingleside steps and knocked on the door. It was a strange feeling to be knocking on the door of a house where she'd run tame for nearly all her life, but somehow with the Blythe family scattered to the winds, it felt wrong to simply open the door and go in. Besides, she'd timed this visit particularly, to find no one but Dr. Blythe at home, and the long ago scoldings to leave him undisturbed at his work were near impossible to ignore.

It was some minutes before he answered the door and she was shivering when he did. He looked surprised to see her, but stepped hurriedly back to let her in the warm house. "I'm afraid that the girls and Mrs. Blythe are all from home. Even Susan has deserted me," he said. "Were you expected?"

"No," said Faith, with a shake of her newly uncovered brown curls. Hat in hand, she looked at him squarely. "It was you I've come to see, Dr. Blythe. Can you spare me a moment? I've something rather important to ask you."

Though still wearing a look of surprise, Dr. Blythe nodded his head in ready assent. "Shall we go into my office?" he asked. "With everyone away, it is the warmest room in the house and you look like you're still cold from the walk from the manse."

Faith laughed and followed him down the hall. "I confess that I am," she said. "I'm afraid I've become used to city living. The winds in Kingsport do not seem so strong as those here in the Glen."

"You would soon adjust again," Dr. Blythe said. He held out his hand for her wraps and gestured her towards one of the chairs by the fire. He hung them in a tucked away cupboard and joined her. His eyes twinkling at her with mirth she did not understand, he said, "Islanders are of strong stock, or so I have been told."

"I have always been proud to be so," she said. 

Dr. Blythe smiled at her, as if she'd given him the correct answer. "What can I do for you, Faith?" he asked. "I confess that I am deeply curious to know was so important that you'd seek me out alone, when we were all together for Christmas only a few days ago."

"It wouldn't have been right then," she said. The day had not been horrible as she had expected, the first Christmas with the certain knowledge that one of their own was gone, never to return, but it had not been one of the Christmases of auld lang syne. But her request--her unspoken dream--could not have been allowed to intrude. She straightened in her chair and gazed at the doctor with her most serious expression. "I've come to ask for you help."

"If I can," Dr. Blythe returned. "With what?"

Her breath caught, for this was the crucial moment. She looked the doctor squarely in the eye. "I want to go overseas," she said in a rush. "I've my nursing qualifications now, through the Red Cross work the girls and I have been doing in Kingsport, and I want to join the V.A.D., but I'm afraid that father won't hear of it. Not with both the boys gone."

Dr. Blythe was silent for a long moment. "And you'd like me to help convince him to allow it?"

"Please," she said. 

"Why?" Dr. Blythe asked. "You're doing good work in Kingsport, you know. The girls have told me how devoted you are to the Red Cross and how much money you've helped to raise. Those things matter, Faith."

Faith shook her head. "Not when I'm so far from Jem." Her cheeks flushed, a little, for she wasn't used to being so frank about such things with Dr. Blythe, though she knew that everyone knew how things stood between her and Jem. "Please, don't you see? Here, I must wait. If I were in England, if something were to happen, I could go to him. I could be with him."

"And if the worst were to happen?" Dr. Blythe said levelly, as if he was not discussing the death of his eldest son. "You would be alone, Faith. Away from all your friends and family. Could you bear it?"

"No," she said frankly. "But then, I do not think I could bear it if I were here, with all the support in the world." She reached between them and caught his hand in hers. "I love him so much, Dr. Blythe. You know. I know you do."

The Doctor smiled faintly at her and patted her hand, before releasing it. "I love him too," he said.

"Then you'll help me?" Faith asked.

Instead of answering, Dr. Blythe rose from his chair and began to pace the length of his office. "I've often thought of you as another daughter," he said. "All of you Merediths, you all ran together with my own brood so naturally, that sorting out whose children were whose was often impossible. Your father feels the same, we've spoken about it often."

"I know," she said. 

"You've grown into a remarkable young woman, Faith. I couldn't be happier with my son's choice of a future wife."

Faith blushed again. "It never felt as if either of us had much choice," she murmured, almost to herself. "It just was."

"Yes," said Dr. Blythe heavily. He came back over to her then. "I will speak with your father."

Faith looked up at him, afraid she had heard him wrong. "You will?"

Dr. Blythe nodded and sat down once more. "The war has taken enough choices from us all. If it hadn't come, you and Jem might be marrying this summer. Keeping you from his side, or as near to it as you can get, would only be crueler still."

"Oh, Dr. Blythe, _thank you_ ," Faith choked out. Tears pricked at her eyes, and she knew not if they were tears of joy or relief.

"I cannot promise to convince your father," he warned. "But I will try."

Faith shook her head, dashing the tears away with her fingertips. "Father will listen to you. I know he will."

"I hope so," Dr. Blythe said. He patted her hand once more. "You are a good girl, Faith Meredith. You and Jem will do very well together."

"It is what I want more than anything," Faith said.

"Then we shall see that you get it," said Dr. Blythe. He rose once more and gathered Faith's wraps from the cupboard. "I am afraid I must leave to call on Mrs. Horton now. Will you be all right on your own?"

"I will," said Faith, light shining from her eyes. "Now."

It was with a lighter step and a lighter heart that Faith left Ingleside that evening. For she knew that in the spring, she would be on her way to the British Isles and if Providence would just be kind--to Jem.


End file.
